Denver Broncos Sold To Walton-Penner Family For Record Amount In US Sports

The Denver Broncos and the Walton-Penner family have entered into a purchase and sale agreement, it was jointly announced on Tuesday.

The deal is worth a reported $4.5 billion, the record for the sale of any US franchise but short of the amount the consortium led by Todd Boehly paid for Chelsea FC last month.

The purchase and sale agreement calls for the Walton-Penner family to acquire the Denver Broncos from the Pat Bowlen Trust. The agreement is subject to approval from the NFL’s finance committee and league ownership as well as the satisfaction of customary closing procedures.

Please see below for statements from Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis and Rob Walton on behalf of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group:

STATEMENT FROM BRONCOS PRESIDENT & CEO JOE ELLIS

“I have enjoyed getting to know Rob Walton, Carrie Walton Penner and Greg Penner throughout this process. Learning more about their background and vision for the Denver Broncos, I am confident that their leadership and support will help this team achieve great things on and off the field.

“I sincerely appreciate the cooperation of our football leadership, executive team and staffs at both UCHealth Training Center and Empower Field at Mile High over the last few months and years. We also want to recognize the work of Allen & Company and Proskauer Rose, which have guided us through this process in a timely and efficient manner.

“While this purchase and sale agreement is pending approval from the NFL’s finance committee and league ownership, today marks a significant step on the path to an exciting new chapter in Broncos history.”

STATEMENT FROM ROB WALTON ON BEHALF OF THE WALTON-PENNER FAMILY OWNERSHIP GROUP

“We are thrilled to be selected to move forward with the purchase of the Denver Broncos! Carrie, Greg and I are inspired by the opportunity to steward this great organization in a vibrant community full of opportunity and passionate fans.

“Having lived and worked in Colorado, we’ve always admired the Broncos. Our enthusiasm has only grown as we’ve learned more about the team, staff and Broncos Country over the last few months.

“We are excited to announce that Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, has agreed to join our ownership group. Beyond her role at Ariel, Mellody is an influential leader in corporate and civic organizations across the nation.

“Mellody currently serves as Chair of the Board of Starbucks Corporation and is also a director of JPMorgan Chase. We know she will bring her strategic acumen and leadership perspective to our team.

“Thank you to Joe Ellis and the staff of the Broncos for the first-class manner in which they have conducted this sale process. In addition, we thank Hogan Lovells for their guidance and support in this effort.

“We look forward to earning the confidence and support of the NFL as we take the next step in this process. When the necessary approval procedures are met, our family is excited to share more with Broncos fans, the organization and the community.”

Women’s Sport Trust Research Reveals Unprecedented Viewership For FA Women’s Super League

New figures* from the Women’s Sport Trust (WST) show that there was a near four-fold increase in viewing hours of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League – up from 8,830,000 in the 2020/21 season to 34,048,000 in 2021/22 – contributing to women’s sport viewership increasing by 140% year-on-year in the first part of 2022.

Almost a third of the UK population has watched women’s sport in 2022, with 21.1 million viewers from January 1st-May 15th 2022. This is in comparison to 8.8 million at the equivalent stage last year, with the average viewing time per person double that of last year (149 minutes v 72 minutes).

Overall, women’s sport has seen fantastic growth in broadcast visibility and consumption, thanks to interest in the FA Women’s Super League, Women’s Six Nations and the ICC Women’s World Cup, with audiences showing unprecedented repeat viewership. Among the findings:

·        20% of total viewers have watched women’s sport on 5 or more occasions so far this year – up on 9% on the same period (1st January-15th May) last year

·        2.5 times increase in the number of hours of women’s sport broadcast in the first four months of 2022, in comparison to the equivalent period in 2019

·        Women’s sport accounted for 23% of all sports coverage on BBC One and 20% of all coverage on BBC Two, while women’s sport made up 12% of all coverage on Sky Sports’ main event channel, although Sky accounted for the greatest number of women’s sport hours broadcast in the period (1st January-15th May)

·        The first quarter of 2022 was the most watched Q1 for women’s sport on record in the UK, with 15.1 million watching 3 minutes or more of women’s sports coverage, in comparison to 5.06m in Q1 of 2021 and a previous peak of 10.2 million in 2019

The Barclays FA Women’s Super League, which saw a new partnership between BBC and Sky begin in the 2021-22 season, saw particularly impressive growth in viewership which included:

·        113 per cent more hours of coverage of The Barclays FA Women’s Super League (WSL) on UK broadcast channels in the 2021/22 season (518 hours) versus 2020/21 season (243 hours)

·        46% of viewers watched The Barclays FA WSL on more than one occasion in 2021/22 – up from 31% the previous season

·        45% of the viewers for the 2021/22 season on BBC and Sky were female, in comparison to 33% on BT Sport in 2020/21

Tammy Parlour Co-Founder and CEO of WST says, “These broadcast figures demonstrate once again the growing demand for women’s sport in the UK and the increased visibility being provided by UK broadcasters to meeting audience needs.

“What is encouraging to see is the number of fans coming back on a regular basis to watch women’s sport on broadcast, with 46% watching the Barclays WSL on more than one occasion in the 2021/22 season, and a fifth of viewers watching women’s sport on 5 or more occasions so far this year in comparison to 9% in the same period in 2021.”

Animoca Brands To Title Sponsor MotoGP™ Grands Prix Of Australia And Aragon This Year, Additional Events In 2023

The MotoGP™ partner and leader in blockchain gaming will take top billing at Aragon and Australia in 2022, and two more events next season

Dorna Sports and Animoca Brands, the company advancing digital property rights for gaming and the metaverse, announced today that Animoca Brands will be the title sponsor of two Grands Prix in 2022 and 2023. This season, Animoca Brands will take top billing at the Grand Prix of Aragon and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix. The two events will be officially named the Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón and the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, respectively. 

Animoca Brands became a partner of MotoGP™ in 2019, when it gained the rights to develop the first NFTs based on MotoGP™, the world’s fastest motorcycle racing championship. The two companies are producing MotoGP™ Ignition, a competitive management and collectibles game platform based on MotoGP™ and that is part of the REVV Motorsport ecosystem of play & earn games.

MotoGP™ Ignition, the official MotoGP™ blockchain game, will deliver branded experiences centred around limited edition NFTs. The game provides a digital collectibles platform where users buy and sell cards of varying rarity, as well as a card-based fantasy sports game and a sophisticated racing manager game. The game’s racing management experience will offer the bikes, riders, and champions of MotoGP™ as NFT collectibles that players use to assemble their racing teams to compete against other players.

MotoGP™ Ignition’s NFT collection and marketplace are available now and the card and manager games are expected to be available this year.Now, Animoca Brands and Dorna Sports are expanding and strengthening the partnership as Animoca Brands assumes the top billing as a title sponsor for two Grands Prix over two seasons. 

Yat Siu, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Animoca Brands:

“We are incredibly pleased to deepen our partnership with Dorna Sports as we take over title sponsorship for MotoGP Grand Prix events. There is no more distinguished brand in the world of professional motorcycle racing than MotoGP, and we are proud to provide our sponsorship and inclusion into the REVV Motorsport ecosystem.”

Marc Saurina, Senior Director of Global Commercial Partnerships at Dorna Sports:

“We’re very happy to welcome Animoca Brands as the title sponsor for Aragon and Australia this season, and two more events in 2023. We’re very happy to take our collaboration to new heights – from the digital world to the track. We look forward to seeing our partnership gain even more exposure as Animoca Brands headlines at these two events.”

REVV Motorsport is an ecosystem of racing blockchain games by Animoca Brands powered by REVV, the token that serves as the primary currency of utility, purchase, and action for the ecosystem. REVV is designed to enable true digital ownership of game assets, giving players freedom and control over their NFT in-game items across a growing metaverse of racing games, including REVV Racing, MotoGP™ Ignition, Formula E: High Voltage, and the Torque Motorsport franchise.

Aston Villa Extend Fanatics Partnership After Significant Global Sales Growth

Aston Villa and Fanatics, a leading provider of licensed sports merchandise and global digital sports platform, have today announced a long-term extension to their e-commerce, retail and manufacturing deal, with the Premier League club taking advantage of Fanatics’ global footprint and state of the art technology to better serve its fans.

The deal was agreed following significant growth in Villa merchandise sales through the club’s official online store, with sales growing by more than 450% since 2017, when Fanatics and Aston Villa started working together. It will see Fanatics retain global e-commerce, stadium retail and manufacturing rights for the Premier League club, ensuring that Villa fans will have access to one of the largest ranges of merchandise in the world.

Fanatics now partners with more than 900 sports clubs and organizations in the world and has worked with Aston Villa to grow visits to the online store by more than 300% in the last four years, changing the way Villa fans purchase merchandise online through an innovative, tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand, mobile-first society. Fanatics will also continue to operate the club retail store at Villa Park as part of the renewed deal.

Fanatics’ global network, which is now based out of thirteen countries worldwide delivered merchandise to Aston Villa fans in 85 different countries in 2021.  In continuing its partnership with Fanatics, Aston Villa will use cutting edge e-commerce systems and the company’s vertical commerce model, which combines on-demand manufacturing with an agile supply chain to produce the timeliest assortments of merchandise.

Nicola Ibbetson, Aston Villa Football Club’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: 

“Our partnership with Fanatics has been highly successful and has experienced significant growth in recent years, so we are thrilled to have cemented this relationship through this extension of our partnership. We have seen sales grow significantly over the past few years and going forwards the focus will be on increasing the product offering for Aston Villa’s growing global fanbase and continuous improvement to the innovation and technology we can bring to the retail experience for our fans.”

The Club will also continue to utilize Fanatics’ industry leading Cloud Commerce technology which provides rapid navigation for fans across online and mobile sites. This has meant Villa fans around the world have access to faster website performance, larger hi-resolution product displays, multiple currencies and frictionless checkout, transforming the shopping experience for the club’s fans.

Danny Downs, Fanatics UK General Manager, said:

“We are delighted that due to the phenomenal growth of the Aston Villa online business in recent years we are extending our relationship with this historic football club. From the moment we first partnered with Villa in 2017 we could see that the fans were incredibly passionate about their team and we have been privileged to serve them wherever they might be based in the world. We can’t wait to bring them even more choice in the coming years and continue our partnership with this innovative and forward-thinking club.”  

Fanatics partners with several of the biggest football clubs across Europe and some of the largest sporting organizations in the world, including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, International Olympic Committee and Formula One.

E1 Announces Sustainability Partnership With Oceans 2050 And Welcomes Professor Carlos Duarte As Chief Scientist 

The organisers of the UIM E1 World Championship today announced an exciting new partnership together with Oceans 2050, to support its long-term sustainability strategy.

Oceans 2050, co-founded by Alexandra Cousteau, works to enable and amplify how people and companies across all sectors can be contributors to a common vision of an abundant future with thriving oceans.As the granddaughter of pioneering marine conservationist and explorer Jacques Cousteau, Alexandra advocates the importance of conservation and sustainable ocean management and water resources.

Alongside the partnership, Professor Carlos Duarte will join the UIM E1 World Championship as Chief Scientist and will play an instrumental role in developing the Blue Cities League, a coalition towards creating a positive impact in urban coastal restoration.Professor Duarte together with Oceans 2050 will also oversee the development of the Blue Action Programme, which will focus on local activations in the cities in which the championship will race.

Each Blue Action Programme is designed to flourish in the local context of an E1 host venue, keeping in mind the vision of local leaders, funding partners and the unique ecological opportunities unfolding in each region.Together through E1 and Oceans 2050, the Blue Cities League will empower cities to become a connected global force for climate adaptation, by restoring their waterfronts at scale and elevating Urban Waterfront Health Ambitions.

Chief Scientist Professor Carlos Duarte speaking with E1 CEO Rodi Basso. Credit: Lloyd Images

Rodi Basso, Co-Founder & CEO of E1, said:

“We’re delighted to announce this partnership with Oceans 2050, and we’re also excited to welcome Professor Carlos Duarte to our team as Chief Scientist of the UIM E1 World Championship. As one of the most respected voices and leaders on marine ecosystems and biodiversity, Carlos will provide scientific support to the championship’s evolving sustainability strategy and advise on its legacy programmes.

“With the support of Alexandra Cousteau and Oceans 2050, we would like to lay the scientific foundations to build a racing championship with purpose that highlights and addresses the key challenges facing marine ecosystems. I’m confident that the projects they will help us define as part of the Blue Cities League will drive awareness and tangible solutions towards the issues facing urban and coastal waters.”

The Blue Cities League Scientific Advisory Board will be led by Professor Carlos Duarte and filled with other key leaders in the field of restoration and ocean conservation.

Professor Duarte is a leading figure in marine ecology and conservation and is leading scientific efforts to rebuild marine life, making him ideally suited to E1’s mission to reduce the environmental pressures placed on marine ecosystems and restore the ocean to its former abundance.

He’s based at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, and holds the position as Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology and Distinguished Professor in Marine Science.

The all-electric RaceBird boat against the backdrop of Venice. Credit: Lloyd Images

Professor Carlos Duarte, Chief Scientist at E1, commented:

“I’m extremely honoured to be joining the UIM E1 World Championship. I think there’s enormous potential to use electric marine racing as a platform to raise awareness and expedite solutions that will conserve our most precious resource: water and aquatic ecosystems.

“My work with the Blue Cities League, alongside my colleagues at Oceans 2050, will enable the championship to build scientifically-sound conservation and restoration programmes that will create a positive impact in our E1 host cities and provide a model for coastal cities around the world, where nearly half of the global population lives.”

Alexandra Cousteau, President & Co-Founder of Oceans 2050, added:

“As a new sport on the water that aims to accelerate the electrification of the marine industry, E1 is a natural and obvious partnership for us at Oceans 2050. Our shared vision for the regeneration of marine ecosystems will enable us to work collaboratively towards solutions that will have a positive impact on urban coastal communities for generations to come.”Stay tuned for more news and announcements coming from the UIM E1 World Championship. To learn more about E1, scroll down to the ‘About E1’ section, or visit – www.e1series.com

 ELLE UK Partners With Nike For ‘Everyone’s Game’ Campaign To Celebrate The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Championship

ELLE UK and Nike have collaborated on a multi-platform partnership, spanning print, digital and video, to mark England hosting the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Championship, which begins on 6 July, and recognises those driving change both on and off the pitch.

The campaign, which celebrates football at all levels, is brought to life with three limited-edition ELLE UK covers featuring inspiring women who are leading change in the sport to create the future of football, both on and off the pitch, including:

  • Four players from the England Women’s national football team – Lucy Bronze, Demi Stokes, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Beth Mead
  • Chelsea F.C. Women and Denmark national team captain, Pernille Harder and Chelsea F.C. Women captain and Swedish national team player, Magdalena Eriksson
  • Somali-born and England FA football coach and referee, Jawahir Roble

The limited-edition issues will be distributed on newsstand, at the first England game at Old Trafford on 6 July and in selected Nike stores including Nike Town London (Oxford Street). A mural and billboard of one of the limited-edition ELLE UK covers will also be unveiled on Camden High Street, London. 

The July/August issue of ELLE UK, on sale today, includes a striking 16-page feature written by Felicia Pennant, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Season Zine, a trailblazing football and fashion platform, and a fashion shoot with a host of England’s players styled in Nike clothing and the new England National Team kit, which will be worn during the tournament.

As part of the collaboration, director Lydia Garnett and Oscar-winning production company, Somesuch, have created a bespoke film which aims to celebrate the growth of, and inclusivity in, women’s football. The film features prominent figures including players from the England Women’s national football team, football education charity Football Beyond Borders Project Lead, Roya Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy, the Co-Founder of Level 7 Academy and TV Presenter, Mollie Kmita, and young players from Girls United and Bloomsbury Football with the hope of inspiring future generations. The video is live on ELLE UK’s website and social media channels, and will be showcased in the Nike Town London, store.

Jane Wolfson, Chief Commercial Officer, Hearst UK, says:

“ELLE has a long history of championing women, so we are thrilled to partner with Nike on this inspiring multi-platform EURO 2022 project to celebrate the Women’s EURO 2022 Championship being held here in the UK as well as shining a light on all those striving for change in the game. From world-class players to grassroot communities, the partnership aims to open up football to people at all levels and from all backgrounds.”

MK Dons Partner With Castore For Kit Deal

Milton Keynes Dons are delighted to announce Castore as the Club’s new official Technical and Retail Partner as well as our official Kit Supplier. 

The partnership begins from the 2022/23 season following the conclusion of the Club’s seven-year association with Errea.

MK Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman said: “We are grateful to Errea for all their help and support over the past seven years but we felt now was the right time to move in a different direction when it comes to our retailing and kit manufacture.

“Castore are an exciting young company who are establishing themselves as one of the top sportswear providers in the country and that is why this partnership makes real sense and is why we are so enthused and energised by this opportunity to work with them.”

As official kit and retail partner, Castore will supply the first-team squad with all their match and trainingwear. What’s more, they will also take control of the Club’s retail operation, including a brand-new store at Stadium MK as well as a fresh online platform.

The Stadium MK store is set to open in August, due to licencing restrictions owing to the UEFA Women’s EUROS, while the online shop will be launched in time for supporters to get their hands on the new kit prior to the start of the 2022/23 season.

Performance Director Simon Crampton commented: “We wanted a kit that would utilise the latest scientific and technological know-how, as well as one that would help optimise our athletic performance on the pitch – Castore absolutely met our brief across all areas.

“Castore have a philosophy of ‘Better Never Stops’ and that completely resonates with our journey at Milton Keynes Dons and we are all very excited about this partnership and are looking forward to the 2022/23 season, and beyond, wearing a Castore kit.”

Castore was founded by Tom and Phil Beahon in 2015 and has built up a high-quality reputation working with the likes of Rangers, Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as supplying apparel for the McLaren Formula One team, England Cricket, and Sir Andy Murray.

Tom Beahon, Co-founder of Castore, said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce Castore’s latest partnership with MK Dons and to be expanding further in to the world of English football.

“MK Dons have a spirit from the players to the backroom staff and fans that embodies the ‘Better Never Stops’ philosophy that is in the DNA of everything we do at Castore.”

Next season, MK Dons players will wear a Castore pro shirt, crafted from ultra-lightweight performance fabric that’s been engineered to offer superior breathability and moisture-wicking, with enhanced ventilation. The high-stretch properties also allow for complete ease of movement and comfort of fit during play.

MK Dons are set to unveil their kits for the 2022/23 season within the coming weeks. Stay tuned to mkdons.com and across the Club’s social media channels for further updates.

beIN MEDIA GROUP And The French Tennis Federation Extend Their Partnership For The Broadcast Of Roland-Garros In The Middle East And North Africa Until 2026

The French Tennis Federation (“FFT”) and beIN MEDIA GROUP (“beIN”), the global sports and entertainment group, today announced a multiyear extension of their existing partnership that will see beIN SPORTS, beIN’s flagship sports channel, continue to broadcast the Roland-Garros tournament until 2026 across all 24 countries in the Middle East and North-African (MENA) region.

Under the agreement, beIN SPORTS will broadcast the Parisian Grand Slam, including all the night-session matches in the following countries and territories: Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

beIN SPORTS has been an Official Broadcaster of Roland-Garros for more than 15 years and has actively contributed to the development of the Parisian Grand Slam in the region through their extensive coverage of the tournament on its TV channels and digital platforms, coupled with first-in-class commentary and analysis.

On the occasion of the partnership extension, Gilles Moretton, FFT President, said:

We are delighted to continue our long-term partnership with beIN SPORTS, the leading live sports platform in the MENA region, until 2026. We have many tennis fans in the region who look forward to Roland-Garros every year, and we are happy that they can continue enjoying the tournament and live all its emotional moments.”

Mohammad Al-Subaie, CEO of beIN MENA, added:

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with the FTT. As we gear up for, arguably, the biggest year in beIN’s history – broadcasting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM live and exclusively in MENA – it is partnerships with the likes of the FTT that continue to enable us to provide the very best variety of world sports to our millions of subscribers and viewers. We look forward to broadcasting all the action from Roland-Garros over the coming years.”

iSportConnect Web3 Summit Presented By Tezos Partners With eShot Labs

The iSportConnect Web3 Summit, presented by Tezos, has partnered with eShot Labs, the builder of live content NFTs and creator white-label B2B solutions.

The iSportConnect Web3 Summit, presented by Tezos, will be held on June 28th and 29th, 2022, at Emirates Stadium in London. For more information, the full schedule, and tickets, head to https://www.web3summit.sport/

eShot Labs brings out the best of Web3 & Video to turn ideas into white label B2B solutions.

They reinvent the idea of IP ownership, collaboration empowerment & value sharing. eShot Labs provides reliable, cost-effective & scalable business solutions.

eShot Labs Founder & CEO Fergus Leleu said: “NFTs are the marketing tool of the next decade. What sets them apart is the emotional connection that allows brands to connect with consumers in a way that has never been done before.”

Commercial and Marketing Lead for the iSportConnect Web3 Summit Joe Condon commented: “NFTs have been on the tip of the tongue of every sports executive for the last 18 months. But we know there is so much more to come from the space as it becomes more sophisticated. 

“The event will champion innovative solutions, and eShot Labs certainly fits the billing. So, we are delighted to have them with us on June 28/29 at the Web3 Summit.”

Purchase your tickets to the iSportConnect Web3 Summit now – https://www.web3summit.sport/event-details/tickets/ticket-form

Infront And River Media Partners Join Forces For EPCR Media Rights Agreement

European Professional Club Rugby has appointed Infront and River Media Partners to distribute the international media rights for the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup for the next three seasons.

It is the first time Infront and River Media Partners – the EPCR’s current international media rights representatives – will collaborate to achieve a perfect combination of vision and capabilities from both organisations. Infront will fully leverage its extensive media rights network and act as the driving force behind agreements while benefitting from decades of in-depth rugby expertise from River Media Partners.

François Vergnol, Marketing and Commercial Director for EPCR, said: “We are very pleased to appoint Infront and River Media Partners together to bring our incredible tournaments to an international audience. A key part of our strategy is to deliver our exceptional rugby product to new fans, and Infront and River Media Partners have the exact expertise to help us realise that vision.”

Julien Ternisien, Senior Vice President Summer Sports, Infront, said: “We see huge potential in this new agreement, and it marks a significant step in our summer sports strategy. The Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup have untapped potential beyond traditional markets, and we are keen to be part of EPCR’s drive to grow the game on a global scale. Thanks to our global network and portfolio we believe Infront is in the best position to deliver that growth in an efficient and sustainable manner.”

Nick Chesworth, Director, River Media Partners, said: “River Media Partners has had a successful partnership with the EPCR over the last few years and the introduction of Infront will substantially build on what has already been achieved. I’m delighted to enter this new phase of European rugby and believe this collaboration is the perfect blend of expertise in both rugby and the media rights landscape as a whole.”

Top14 sides dominated at last weekend’s Finals, with Lyon winning their first-ever European title with a 30-12 victory over Toulon in the EPCR Challenge Cup, while Stade Rochelais won the Heineken Champions Cup beating Irish club Leinster 24-21 following a dramatic try in the final two minutes of the match.